- Posts
- 375
- Likes
- 575
Revo
·With respect the second watch on the top of Everest was the one Tenzing wore.
What reference is the watch Sir Edmund Hillary wore on Everest?
- Posts
- 1,086
- Likes
- 1,847
davidswiss
·Someone earlier in the thread mentioned there were not enough Smiths pics.
- Posts
- 3,375
- Likes
- 8,521
MRC
·With respect the second watch on the top of Everest was the one Tenzing wore.
Their combined statement was they stepped up together, which I find fair.
- Posts
- 6,125
- Likes
- 11,375
SpeedyPhill
·Must dig out my Hilary on Everest DVD. I'm pretty sure there's an illustration from an Indian newspaper showing Tenzing Norgay hauling Ed Hillary onto the summit on a rope. So in that newspaper's view Hillary was second to the top.
Their combined statement was they stepped up together, which I find fair.
Indeed, both sticking together on the top... as a team ( don't compete, complete ! )
Once on the top, after he had take photographs of all slopes, New Zealander Edmund Hillary asked Nepali Tenzing to pose on the top with the pickaxe decorated with the flags of Britain, Nepal, India and the United Nations. Tenzing was not trained in operating the photo camera.
.
- Posts
- 3,375
- Likes
- 8,521
MRC
·Must dig out my Hilary on Everest DVD. I'm pretty sure there's an illustration from an Indian newspaper showing Tenzing Norgay hauling Ed Hillary onto the summit on a rope.
Found the DVD and we don't see the drawing, it's just Hillary describing it. Tenzing was grabbed by a crowd and forced to sign a document in a language he could not read which said that he was first on the top. He was visibly upset afterwards by this because it wasn't true.
- Posts
- 6,125
- Likes
- 11,375
SpeedyPhill
·Don't forget the best color photos were taken on May 28, 1953 as Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay were climbing on the South-East ridge about to leave to the South Col in order to set up Camp IX below the South Summit on Everest. They reached the top on May 29, 1953.
.
.
- Posts
- 375
- Likes
- 575
Revo
·
Ah, A404 in a Dennison Aquatite case -- interestingly, Omega UK part-owned Dennison
- Posts
- 4,465
- Likes
- 61,600
CPRwatch
·A chance to post my Smiths ,I think the one on the left was possibly made before Edmund & Tenzings ascent
- Posts
- 375
- Likes
- 575
- Posts
- 3,627
- Likes
- 35,338
- Posts
- 375
- Likes
- 575
- Posts
- 139
- Likes
- 193
pkaye6
·A very informative and interesting thread. It has prompted me to do some research into this subject just to enhance my knowledge. Thank You
- Posts
- 375
- Likes
- 575
Revo
·I thought you might be interested in this letter from Sir Edmund Hillary in The Horological Journal, November 1953
As Mr R. A. Winter [Rolex] is not quite sure if Sir Edmund Hillary received his Rolex, and if Mr E. Carey demands to know the true facts about the Everest watches, the obvious solution seem to be to ask Sir Edmund himself, and I did so last week-end. He assures me that he wore one watch only, his Smiths, during the last stages of the climb but, at the same time, he spoke very highly of the Rolex, and the fact that it remained behind in the comparative safety of the Base Camp was no reflection on the watch, but simply a common-sense precaution to keep one in reserve, and to avoid any possible chance of getting both smashed at the same time. The precaution was against accidental damage, and there seems to have been no fear that any of the watches would fail. As this confidence was fully justified, both makers are to be congratulated.
Tensing carried a single watch, his own, of unrecorded make, but he did not do any of the timekeeping, or calculations for consumption of oxygen — called by the Sherpas "English Air”.
The pictures used by Messrs. Smiths in the September advertisement is of Messrs. Bourdillon and Evans, exhausted on their return from the South Summit, but I feel sure, from a chance remark, the encircled watch is also a Smiths.
Sir Edmund is taking back a London watch, made by Jno. Fladgate, in 1766, but it is most unlikely that he will take it on his next expedition; much as I admire the verge escapement, I felt obliged to warn him against using it to time his oxygen consumption, as I have a sneaking feeling that it might not be completely accurate at -40 deg. C. !
I hope that this is the information required, and that everyone will feel perfectly satisfied but, if any makers of very expensive watches would like to start a new controversy, by having their products carried to the top of Inkpen Beacon (c. 902 ft.), they have only to send them to yours very truly,
E. HILLARY
“The Old Cottage”
Newtown
Newbury
More here: https://forums.timezone.com/index.php?t=msg&th=2447169&rid=12189#msg_7712966
As Mr R. A. Winter [Rolex] is not quite sure if Sir Edmund Hillary received his Rolex, and if Mr E. Carey demands to know the true facts about the Everest watches, the obvious solution seem to be to ask Sir Edmund himself, and I did so last week-end. He assures me that he wore one watch only, his Smiths, during the last stages of the climb but, at the same time, he spoke very highly of the Rolex, and the fact that it remained behind in the comparative safety of the Base Camp was no reflection on the watch, but simply a common-sense precaution to keep one in reserve, and to avoid any possible chance of getting both smashed at the same time. The precaution was against accidental damage, and there seems to have been no fear that any of the watches would fail. As this confidence was fully justified, both makers are to be congratulated.
Tensing carried a single watch, his own, of unrecorded make, but he did not do any of the timekeeping, or calculations for consumption of oxygen — called by the Sherpas "English Air”.
The pictures used by Messrs. Smiths in the September advertisement is of Messrs. Bourdillon and Evans, exhausted on their return from the South Summit, but I feel sure, from a chance remark, the encircled watch is also a Smiths.
Sir Edmund is taking back a London watch, made by Jno. Fladgate, in 1766, but it is most unlikely that he will take it on his next expedition; much as I admire the verge escapement, I felt obliged to warn him against using it to time his oxygen consumption, as I have a sneaking feeling that it might not be completely accurate at -40 deg. C. !
I hope that this is the information required, and that everyone will feel perfectly satisfied but, if any makers of very expensive watches would like to start a new controversy, by having their products carried to the top of Inkpen Beacon (c. 902 ft.), they have only to send them to yours very truly,
E. HILLARY
“The Old Cottage”
Newtown
Newbury
More here: https://forums.timezone.com/index.php?t=msg&th=2447169&rid=12189#msg_7712966
- Posts
- 375
- Likes
- 575
Revo
·Must dig out my Hilary on Everest DVD. I'm pretty sure there's an illustration from an Indian newspaper showing Tenzing Norgay hauling Ed Hillary onto the summit on a rope. So in that newspaper's view Hillary was second to the top.
Their combined statement was they stepped up together, which I find fair.
Tenzing (in his book) said that Hillary was first to the summit.
- Posts
- 2,510
- Likes
- 4,703
ErichPryde
·Great thread, pretty impressive detective work here.
- Posts
- 375
- Likes
- 575
- Posts
- 1,086
- Likes
- 1,847
davidswiss
·For those that haven't already read this, I think it gives the full story:
https://www.outdoorjournal.com/feat...verest-in-1953-putting-a-controversy-to-rest/
https://www.outdoorjournal.com/feat...verest-in-1953-putting-a-controversy-to-rest/
- Posts
- 2,355
- Likes
- 3,753
sheepdoll
·Anything you tell me three times is true.
- Posts
- 2,510
- Likes
- 4,703
ErichPryde
·Wow- this ad is very impressively written. at first glance, it sure as heck looks like a Rolex made it to the top. but Hillary's comments are dated 1952 just below, and Hunt never made the summit.
Truly incredible marketing.
Truly incredible marketing.
- Posts
- 375
- Likes
- 575
Revo
·Wow- this ad is very impressively written. at first glance, it sure as heck looks like a Rolex made it to the top. but Hillary's comments are dated 1952 just below, and Hunt never made the summit.
Truly incredible marketing.
Incredible is certainly one word for it. I can think of others. I see the Rolex fanboys have gone very quiet on this thread.